True Midnight
by AlanSmithy
Summary: In Harry's fifth year, he is recruited for training by an organization shrouded in mystery. H/G R/H
1. Prologue

"True Midnight" 

A Harry Potter Fan Fiction by AlanSmithy

**_Disclaimer: _**_All characters appearing in this story are copyright of J.K. Rowling, I'm just borrowing them for my own amusement._

Prologue 

A cloaked figure glided silently through the trees of the Dark Forest.  Blocking what little light the stars provided, the thick branches of the forest augmented the night's inky blackness.  Darting between trunks of 100-year-old oak trees without pausing, the figure appeared unbothered by the lack of light.  Moving faster than a man could walk, and leaving no trail in the woods, it seemed at home in the darkness.  

Pausing slightly at the edge of the clearing, the figure hesitated before continuing out of the protective shadows.  Once in the clearing, it was brought up short when a torch, gripped tightly by a hand cast in silver, suddenly ignited.  The dim light threw the figure into harsh relief, revealing the white-blond hair and pointed face of one of the richest and most influential people in the wizarding world.

Lucius Malfoy ignored the pitiful figure holding the torch and peered around the seemingly empty clearing.  "Master?" Lucius inquired softly.

The torchbearer spoke in a high squeaky voice, "He is not here Malfoy, but he sent me to give you instructions."

 Lucius finally turned his attention to the man and sneered in contempt before honoring him with a response.

"I don't take orders from underlings _Wormtail,_" the small man flinched at hearing the name.  "Where is your Master?"

"I am your Master too Lucius," hissed a voice out of the shadows.  
  


"Of-of course Master, I-"

"Enough Lucius.  You must learn your place, but that is a lesson for another day.  Right now we have pressing business.  Consider this a warning."

"Y-yes master," Lucius stammered, glancing around the clearing for the source of the voice.

"Wormtail has your instructions.  Give them to him Wormtail."

The small rat-like man handed Lucius a piece of parchment, which he quickly read through.  When Lucius finally looked up, his eyes held a rarely seen emotion, surprise.

"But Master, I thought I was to take up the-"

"The job of Muggle torture," the voice finished for him, "I know you are eager to regain your old post, and you will my friend, but now is not the time.  At the moment, that bumbling Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, is unknowingly aiding us, and for now it is best that we remain hidden.  I will bide my time, slowly regaining my power and allies, until once again I will have the wizarding world under my control!

"Until then," the voice hissed dangerously, "You will put my plan into action.  We will worry about the rest later."

Lucius bowed deeply.  "Yes Master."

As he turned to leave, Lucius was abruptly stopped by what felt like an invisible wall.  The voice returned, a little louder now.  "You have some misgivings Lucius?  Don't try to hide them, I can sense it!"

Cowering before his Master's rage, Lucius trembled as he replied.  "Yes Master.  I am… worried about the _boy_ and that doddering old fool Dumbledore.  He-"

"Show your enemies more respect my friend," the voice censured.  "That was my ultimate mistake, and my downfall.  I underestimated them.  Do not worry about the Headmaster and his prized pupil; I have it all taken care of."

"Yes Master," Lucius bowed once again.  "I shall carry out your orders."

"Of course you will Lucius," the voice echoed as it faded away.  "Of course you will."


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 

Hundreds of miles away, in a different part of the world, the Boy-Who-Lived woke abruptly from another of his nightmares.  He kicked off the tangled sheets and stumbled over to the window of the smallest bedroom of number four, Privet Drive.  Throwing the window open, Harry took a deep breath of the clean night air.  These nightmares were becoming a nightly occurrence, and they were taking their toll.

Since Cedric Diggory's murder and Lord Voldemorts resurrection at the end of the Triwizard Tournament, his nightmares had become more vivid and painful.  It seemed Harry awoke every night, screaming and in pain, to the point where the Dursleys had threatened to duct tape his mouth shut for the rest of the summer if he woke them again.  Showing an amazing amount of self-control, Harry was able to teach himself to remain silent, no matter how much his scar hurt.

Feeling better, Harry pulled his head back inside the room and glanced at himself in the full-length mirror.  The many sleepless nights were having an effect on his appearance.  Harry sported bags under his eyes and had lost a lot of weight, which was not healthy for a boy his size.  Harry could just imagine Mrs. Weasley's reaction next time she saw him.

_Harry dear!  You look terrible!  Have those monsters not fed you all summer?_

Actually, Harry had plenty of food to eat, thanks to his friends, and since Dudley was no longer on his diet (on extreme protest by the school nurse) there was an abundance of food available to sneak out of the kitchen.  

Harry glanced back to the mirror, his jet-black hair was still as wild and untamable as ever, if not a little more so; it completely covered the lightning bolt scar on his forehead, which is exactly what he wanted.  He pulled back his hair to expose the offending scar, examining it closely.  It had started to swell and had become extremely tender over the summer.  The scar was becoming a constant pain.  Letting his hair drop back to where it wanted to be, Harry sat down at his desk.  While he was awake he might as well get some homework done.

Pulling out a quill and a bottle of emerald ink, Harry began searching through _1001 Magical Herbs and Fungi_ for ideas to complete the nasty essay Professor Snape had assigned over the summer:  _List all known herbs with a healing property in alphabetical order and briefly tell about each herb with a minimum of three inches for each herb._

After working for hours, Harry had only just finished his explanation of a bezoar, when he heard a tap at the window.  Looking up, Harry saw Hedwig, his snowy owl, framed by the light of dawn and hovering just outside in the company of an unfamiliar owl.  Crossing the room, Harry opened the window to admit the owls.  Hedwig swooped to her cage, dropping the post she was carrying on the way.  The other owl however, landed on Harry's arm offering him a large parcel before diving back out the window without even a sip of water.  Harry stared after the owl and reached to close the window, but not before what looked like a small feather duster zoomed into the room, chirping happily.

Harry dropped the package given to him by the strange owl on his desk before snatching the annoying fur ball from the air, which happened to be his best friend Ron's owl:  Pig.  Pig twittered joyfully at completing his job as Harry took the letters and deposited him on top of Hedwig's cage.

Harry closed the window before looking through his post.  The letters Pig had delivered were from Ron and surprisingly, his sister Ginny.  Harry set Ginny's letter aside for later, and opened up Ron's.

_Harry,_

_Happy Birthday!_

Harry paused before continuing and looked at the calendar above his bed…it _was_ his birthday, he had forgotten!  It wasn't surprising being that until two years ago he had never received a birthday card, much less a present.  Pulling himself out of his reverie, Harry resumed reading the letter.

_I hope those Muggles aren't treating you too badly.  Have you been getting the _Daily Prophet_?  That idiot Fudge is still denying everything, even though there's been a lot of increased Death Eater activity.  Dad says it's only a matter of time until he's removed from office._

_Bill and Charlie have both moved back to the Burrow and have taken active jobs in the Ministry.  Bill is working on special assignment at the Gringott's Bank in Diagon Alley, and Charlie tells us he has a new job close to home, but I don't know what it is.  Something with the Common Welsh Greens maybe…_

_I haven't heard anything from Hermione yet this summer, have you?  Do you know if she's going to Bulgaria with Krum?  Tell me if you hear anything._

_Mom's been talking to Dumbledore, trying to get you to come over for the rest of the summer, but the Headmaster insists that he has something to talk to you about first, said he'd be sending you a letter soon.  Let me know what's going on with that too._

_I couldn't send your present through post, so we'll save it for you until you get here.  Hope to see you soon!_

_Ron_

Harry looked to the parcel brought by the strange owl, wondering if it was from Dumbledore like Ron had hinted at.  He retrieved the package and pulled the letter off the top.  It was written in the same loopy handwriting as the note he had received with his father's invisibility cloak.

_Harry,_

_Due to the circumstances of the past year I believe we have a few things that need to be discussed.  I do not feel that it is appropriate to converse through owl post, as it is easy to intercept.  Similarly, we need to speak before the start of term.  Enclosed is a specially designed Portkey.  I know you probably do not trust them anymore, but they are the safest and easiest way to transfer you to a safe place.  To activate the Portkey, just hold it in your left hand and recite the first password that you ever used to get into Gryffindor Tower.  I'm sorry about all the secrecy, but I feel it is necessary in case this letter is intercepted_

_Albus Dumbledore_

_P.S.  Have a wonderful Birthday._

Harry regarded the package cautiously, but decided to wait until later to open it.  Turning to the letters brought by Hedwig, Harry opened the first one, which happened to be from Hermione.

_Dear Harry,_

_Happy Birthday!  I hope you like the present I got for you.  I think it will be very useful after You-Know-What last year.  I still shudder when I think of it…even though I know it's true I still…_

_Well, anyway, I've decided to turn down Krum's invitation to visit him this summer.  I think it's safer to stay in the country at this time.  I haven't told Ron yet; he's been a real prat about it, bugging me all the time.  What has got into that boy?_

_I am going to be at Diagon Alley the weekend before September 1st, will I see you there?  I hope so.  See you soon!_

_Love, _

_Hermione_

Harry picked up the package that came with the letter.  It was small and rectangular—knowing Hermione it was probably a book.  When he tore off the wrapping, Harry found he was right, but at the same time, wrong.  It was a book, but flipping through it, not like any book he had ever seen.  The cover was about four inches by three inches and the pages were completely blank except for the first page, which read:

This book contains every beginning and intermediate charm, curse, and hex presented for easy reference.  The book operates on the principle of need.  Hold the book closed in your hands and concentrate on what you want to accomplish.  Then open the book to any page, and all spells with that effect will be available to you.  You will be notified when this edition goes out of date, and will be offered the chance to exchange this book for the new edition.

Harry smiled incredulously.  It would be just like Hermione to find something like this, and it would help save a lot of time on homework, although Harry doubted that was what Hermione had in mind when she bought it.  He would have to think of some way to pay her back next time he saw her.

As he opened the last letter, Harry was happy to see his godfather, Sirius Black's handwriting.  He hadn't heard anything from Sirius since the end of the Third Task last year.

_Dear Harry,_

_Happy 15th Birthday!  Remus, that's Professor Lupin, sends his regards.  We're traveling together at the moment hunting down everyone who we talked about at the end of the school year.  I can't say much in case this letter is intercepted, even though I trust Hedwig, Owl Post is still not safe these days.  I'll see you soon to give you your birthday present, I think it's something you would want me to give you in person anyway.  _

_Your godfather_

Harry grimaced having read the letter.  Sirius had been on the run since the end of Harry's third year from the Ministry of Magic.  Now, along with helping Professor Dumbledore against Voldemort, Sirius was constantly on the lookout for the rat that framed him.  Just thinking about it made Harry's blood boil.

Calming down took a serious amount of effort, but Harry finally managed it.  Someday, Peter would be caught, and Sirius would walk free, but until then, his only link to his parents was a wanted criminal who would be killed on sight.

Dumbledore's package, which was still sitting on Harry's desk, caught his attention.  He probably shouldn't put this meeting off very long.  By the sound of it, Dumbledore had something important to tell him.  Carefully, Harry unwrapped the package and removed a small wooden carving of a Phoenix.  The carving, which closely resembled Fawkes, stretched its wings in Harry's hand, and looked up at him with what could only be interpreted as impatience.  Harry pulled his wand out of his trunk, as he did not want to be without it in the wizarding world.  Harry cleared his mind of all distractions and muttered the two words that would activate the Portkey.

Caput Draconis.

As Harry disappeared from the room, an unopened letter fell to the floor, forgotten.

**A/N:**  Thank you Ami!!!  Don't worry, I'll learn…someday…


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 

"Caput Draconis."

As the Portkey activated, Harry felt the now familiar jerk behind his navel and closed his eyes tightly.  The sickening sensation continued for a few seconds until his feet suddenly hit the ground and he overbalanced, falling to his knees.  Harry's glasses fell off his face and the Portkey glided slowly to the ground, landing by his side.

A quiet chuckle greeted Harry's sudden appearance, and he heard someone stand up and walk towards where he was kneeling.  A hand appeared in his field of vision as a gentle voice greeted him.

"I've been expecting you Mr. Potter."

Harry retrieved his glasses and grabbed onto the hand in front of him, accepting the Headmaster's help.  He stood up and looked around the room he had appeared in, but couldn't make out any details.  Harry slipped his glasses back on his face and looked around.

Dumbledore's office hadn't changed much since the last time he saw it.  Pictures of past headmasters and headmistresses still lined the walls, and Fawkes' golden perch was sitting by the door, although unoccupied at the time.  When Harry turned around he met the kindly blue eyes of Professor Dumbledore himself, and standing beside him, was a person Harry had definitely not been expecting to see.  Sirius Black.

"Sirius!"  Harry yelled as he ran to his godfather.

Sirius caught him by the shoulders and pulled Harry into a bone-crushing hug before pushing him back to examine him closely.  Harry knew exactly what Sirius was thinking when he saw his godfather's lips tighten, and shook his head slightly, hoping Sirius would take the hint.  Unfortunately, he either didn't notice or was as thickheaded as his godson could be at times.

"Merlin's beard Harry!  What happened to you?" he exclaimed.  "You look terrible."

Harry stepped back and fended off his godfather's attempts to get him to sit down.  "It's okay Sirius, really!  I've just been having a little trouble sleeping, that's all."

Sirius opened his mouth to comment, but was silenced by Dumbledore's hand on his shoulder.  

"Just a moment please Sirius.  If you haven't forgotten, we have some vital affairs to discuss.  You can catch up with Harry later."  
  


Sirius nodded, but shot Harry a look that guaranteed they would be having a talk later.  Dumbledore stepped forward, not noticing the look or pretending not to, and sat down behind his desk.  The Headmaster nodded towards a chair, indicating for Harry to sit.  Harry pulled out the cushioned seat and did so.

Professor Dumbledore offered him a smile, but it faded as he began talking.  "As you know Harry, because of the events that occurred at the end of last year, some things here at Hogwarts are going to be changing."  Harry nodded slowly.  "Also, due to the Minister of Magic refusing to cooperate in any way with preventative measures-" Harry heard Sirius cough, "- Hogwarts must be prepared in any way possible to defend itself against attack."

Once again Harry nodded, waiting for Dumbledore to get to the point.  "Because of this, and your unique…relationship with the Dark Lord, your godfather and I feel that you should take on some special training to prepare you for anything that may happen until Lord Voldemort is defeated."

On hearing this Harry sat up straighter, hanging on every word Dumbledore said.  Finally, they were giving him a chance to do something instead of just sitting around.  For the past four years he had relied on luck to protect him from Voldemort, but now they were offering him a chance to go into training.

Dumbledore nodded to Harry, a knowing twinkle in his eye.  "Sirius has kindly given his permission, in fact it was more his idea than mine, to have you trained by the Department of Mysteries.  I know a few people there and I was able to pull some strings.  If you agree, we will begin your training as a War Wizard."

Harry's eyes widened at the mention of the Department of Mysteries.  Nobody outside of the department knew what they did.  In fact, those who worked in that department were known as Unspeakables.  If Harry had heard right, Dumbledore was arranging for Harry to be trained under them!

Shifting nervously, Harry asked, "And, uh, what exactly is a… War Wizard?"

Dumbledore just smiled and nodded towards Sirius, indicating he should explain.  Turning in his chair to glance at his godfather, Harry waited.

"Well Harry," Sirius began, "you know what an Auror is, correct?"  He continued without waiting for an answer.  "If Aurors are one of the best trained fighting forces in Europe, and law enforcers of the wizarding world, then the Department of Mysteries is our world's last defense against people like Voldemort.  They choose the best Aurors in the division and provide even further training, turning them into the most skilled and dangerous fighting forces in the world.  They are not known by most civilians because they are well versed in the art of disguise, and the Department of Mysteries would like to keep what they do, well… a mystery."

Harry had listened intently throughout Sirius's speech, and now he gawked noticeably.  "Let me get this straight," he said after a pregnant pause, "these are the best and most powerful fighters, tacticians, and spell-slingers in the entire world, right?" Sirius nodded.  "And you want me to be one of them?  You said they pick the best of the Aurors.  I'm only 15 years old!"

Dumbledore spoke up, "That you are Harry, but you are a 15 year old with a death threat from Lord Voldemort, last descendant of Salazar Slytherin, and possibly the most powerful wizard this world has ever seen.  That's not a threat to take lightly."

Harry was visibly shaken as he sat back in his chair to ponder what he had just been told.  The Headmaster and Sirius waited patiently, knowing that the boy had a lot to think about.  Harry's brow creased, and he brushed his hair back out of his eyes.  Finally, Harry broke the deafening silence.

"What about Ron and Hermione?  Will they be able to train with me?"  He leaned forward eagerly.  "And when will I be training?  During school, before, after?  Will I have to drop any classes?"

Dumbledore let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.  Sirius looked at his godson with a mixture of relief and trepidation.

"So you want to do it?" he asked.

Harry replied, "That's what I said, yes."

"Harry," Sirius said gravely, "Are you _sure_ you want this.  Once you make your choice you can't change your mind.  You have to realize, this decision that will affect the rest of your life."

Harry's emerald green eyes burned fiercely as they met Sirius's black ones.  "If this will help stop Voldemort, then I have never been more sure of anything in my life.  He has to be stopped."

Sirius sat back in his chair, and closed his eyes.  At the sound of the Headmaster clearing his throat, Harry turned around.

"Well then Harry, if have you made up your mind?"  Harry nodded an affirmative.  "Good."  Dumbledore nodded and stood up.

"As for your earlier questions.  Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger will be more than welcome to train with you, but they must first receive permission from their parents.  I realize that you three are inseparable, and that is the only reason I am allowing this, although the Department of Mysteries won't be too happy with it.

"You will start training immediately, Ron and Hermione will join you once the term begins, and you will live here for the rest of the summer.  You will meet with your trainers, and be inducted into the Order tomorrow.  You may be required to drop a few of your less important classes," Dumbledore smiled down at Harry.  "I'll let you figure out which those are.  Along the same lines, you may be taking some higher level Defense and Charms classes, but other than that your schedule will be no different"

Dumbledore placed his hand on Harry's shoulder and led him out of the office, motioning Sirius to follow.  They descended the moving staircase and exited past the gargoyle, which moved back into place once they passed.  As the Headmaster led the way to Gryffindor Tower he continued talking.

"I will pay a visit to your relatives tomorrow and retrieve your belongings so you may stay here for the rest of the summer.  If you'd like you may come with me," Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eye.  Harry nodded in agreement.  It may be interesting to see the Dursley's reaction to his Headmaster, especially after Dumbledore learns that Uncle Vernon once called him a "crackpot old fool."  Harry smiled mischievously.

"After that, I will contact the Department of Mysteries and inform them of your decision.  Representatives should begin arriving tomorrow around dinnertime, and after a nice meal, we will hold the induction ceremony.  The day after you will begin training."

Sirius, who had been trailing behind silently, spoke up.  "What about the rest of his summer, Professor?  You're going to have him train during his break?"

Dumbledore continued walking and replied over his shoulder.  "Harry has made his decision Sirius.  He is now committed and I will be sure he is ready the next time he meets with the Dark Lord."  Dumbledore's voice became angrier as he talked.  "As much as I do not wish it to be so, I am afraid that they must face off sometime in the future.  I refuse to loose Harry the way we did his-"

Dumbledore shut his mouth firmly, but Harry knew what he was about to say.  _The way we did his parents._

They continued in silence down the corridors of the castle that Harry knew so well.  The shifting staircases and disappearing stairs made Harry feel as if he had returned home.  When they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, she made a deep curtsey to the Headmaster, and greeted as she did everyone else.  "Password?"

"Snuffles," the Headmaster answered.

Harry glanced up in surprise at hearing the password.  "Isn't that kind of obvious?  Ron, Hermione, and I talk about Snuffles a lot."__

Sirius placed a hand on Harry's shoulder from behind and answered.  "It's just for the rest of the summer Harry.  You, me, the Headmaster, and your trainers will be the only ones who use it."

Harry nodded and followed the Headmaster into the Gryffindor common room as the portrait swung forward.  Dumbledore pointed up the stairway.  "You may stay the night in your old room tonight, but tomorrow we may find you somewhere a little more convenient to stay the rest of the summer.

"Now, I will leave you and Sirius alone to catch up.  You do want to go with me to retrieve your belongings tomorrow, correct?"

"Yes sir," Harry said.

Dumbledore nodded.  "Very well.  I will see you tomorrow morning bright and early Harry.  Breakfast will be in the Great Hall as usual."  He turned without another word and swept out of the Tower, closing the portrait hole behind him.

Harry glanced at his godfather.  They were alone with him for probably the first time in his life, and with no time limit imposed upon them.  The silence was oppressive.

Harry studied Sirius closely.  He had gained weight since the last time they had been together, but the haunted look given to him by Azkaban remained.  His robes were dirty, ragged, and torn in many places, especially around the knees.  Sirius's long black hair was dirty and tangled, as if he had not had a bath for a month, which he probably hadn't.

"Well," Harry said awkwardly, "how long are you staying?"

"Until the end of the summer.  Then I will go back to actively fighting Voldemort."

"Oh…I see."  Harry shuffled his feet.  "Will you have to stay in your Animagus form?"

Sirius nodded sadly.  "But only when I'm where other people could see me.  The Department of Mysteries knows the truth, and they believe Dumbledore, but we think its better to be safe than sorry."

"The Department of Mysteries believes you?"  Harry asked excitedly.  "Then why haven't you been cleared?"

Sirius only had to say two words.  "Cornelius Fudge."

Harry glowered dangerously.  "That man is so frustrating!  Why doesn't Dumbledore do something about it?" 

"Harry," Sirius consoled, "Fudge is the Minister of Magic, and as impotent as that man is, he holds a very powerful position in the government.  We can't just go over his head, and blackmail is out of the question."

"I know," Harry growled, "but he won't even concede that Voldemort is back.  He's so stubborn!"

Sirius touched Harry's arm to calm him down.  "Don't worry Harry.  We'll find Peter eventually, and then Fudge will have to pardon me.  Until then, I will do what I can to fight the Dark Lord inconspicuously."

Harry jerked away from his godfather angrily.  "How can you tell me not to worry?  You're my godfather, and I'm not even allowed to see you unless you're hidden!  How fair is that?"

Sirius sighed and sat down in one of the comfortable red armchairs sprawled around the common room.  "It's not fair Harry.  Not one bit.  But there's nothing we can do about it right now."

Harry nodded and a mask of calm fell across his features.  He seemed to pull all emotion out of his face and body and stuff it away.  He nodded.

"I see," Harry said.  "Well, if there's nothing else Sirius, I think I'll go to bed now.  See you in the morning."

Harry turned around and mounted the stairs.

Sirius stood quickly.  "But Harry, I-"

"We'll talk later Sirius," Harry interrupted him.  "I'm really tired now, it's almost three in the morning, and I have to be up early to go with Dumbledore."  He continued up the stairs without stopping.

"See you in the morning Harry," Sirius whispered.

***

Harry climbed the stairs to his dormitory after leaving Sirius in the common room.  He felt bad about that, but at the moment he had to sort through his own emotions.  Harry entered the fifth year's dormitory and looked around.  Nothing had changed from last year, but the absence of his classmates made the dormitory seem empty.

Without thinking, Harry moved to retrieve his pajamas from his trunk.  He kneeled down to open the trunk before he realized that it was still at the Dursley's.  Containing a sigh of frustration, Harry collapsed on the bed without removing his clothes and promptly fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 

**_A/N:  _**_Well, first off, I want to thank Ami for all her help, this story would be terrible without all her help.  Thanks!  Second, this is my first attempt at a novel length story, and I don't know how it will work out.  If you have any suggestions please let me know!_

Harry awoke from his dreamless sleep as the sun crested the horizon.  This was the first night in over a month that his rest had not been disturbed by endless nightmares.  Sitting up in bed, Harry pushed the curtains out of the way and yawned tremendously.

Once again the silence in the dormitory caught Harry's attention.  The walls were bare of the usual Quidditch posters, and the absence of his classmates' trunks made the room seem larger.  The sun shone through the sole window of the dormitory, reflecting off of a fresh pitcher of water.  Harry picked up the pitcher and poured himself a glass of the refreshing liquid.

_The house elves are already hard at work it seems, _Harry thought to himself.   _Won't Hermione be pleased._

Ice-cold water dribbling down the front of his shirt brought Harry back to reality.  It seemed Fred and George Weasley were already hard at work as well.  They must have planted their new joke items before the end of the term last year.

"Guaranteed to make a mess with every sip," Harry grumbled as he headed to take a shower.  "Oh well, I did encourage them."

***

Harry descended to the common room after his shower without bothering to comb his wet hair.  It wouldn't matter anyway.  Humming happily he headed toward the portrait hole, ready to begin his Dursley-free summer.  

The hallways, like his dormitory, were eerily silent.  The absence of Hogwarts' usual school crowd made the castle feel…lonely.  Even the paintings were on vacation.  Many of the picture frames were empty, most with notes informing anyone who cared to read them that the occupant would be back at the end of the summer.  Where they had all gone, Harry couldn't even guess.

Once Harry even had to backtrack to avoid a conference of suits of armor that had decided to gather in one of the corridors; it sounded like they were holding a tournament.  Filch would just love cleaning that up when he returned.  Even the ever-present caretaker had decided to take a holiday.  Either that or Dumbledore had forced him to take a break.

Harry reached the Great Hall without any further trouble.  The giant double doors swung open at his touch, and the creak of the hinges echoed through the mostly empty room.  The four house tables were pushed off to the side, and the staff table was set up in the center of the floor.

"Harry," Dumbledore said as he rose from his chair.  "Come join us.  We are just breaking our fast before leaving to retrieve your belongings."

Snuffles, who was sitting at the base of Dumbledore's chair, gave Harry a welcoming bark, and trotted over to greet him.  Harry gave Snuffles a quick scratch behind the ear before sitting between Professor McGonagall and Hagrid.

Hagrid greeted Harry with a huge pat on the back.  "Hiya 'Arry!"

"Hullo Hagrid," Harry smiled, "Professor McGonagall."

"Good morning Mr. Potter," responded Professor McGonagall.  "I trust you had a good nights rest?"

"Yes.  Very well, thank you," Harry said while buttering a piece of toast.

Harry ate in silence while studying the other occupants of the table.  To his left sat Hagrid, Hogwarts' groundskeeper and Care of Magical Creatures teacher.  Professor McGonagall sat on his right, followed by Professor Dumbledore.  Beyond the Headmaster was tiny Professor Flitwick, and on the far side of the table sat the Potions Master:  Professor Snape.

Throughout the meal, Hagrid kept up a running commentary about his travels over the past month.  Apparently, he had been to visit Madam Maxime, the Headmistress of Beauxbatons, and they had taken a "long relaxin' vacation in the mountains."

At the end of the meal, Professor Dumbledore rose and walked over to Harry.  He placed his hand on Harry's shoulder and asked, "Are you ready?"

Harry nodded and rose, politely nodded to Hagrid and Professor McGonagall, and followed the Headmaster out of the Great Hall.

"Harry, since you cannot yet Apparate, we will use Portkeys to reach the Dursleys'.  Do you still have your phoenix that took you here?"

Harry nodded, "It's up in my dormitory."

"Well then," Professor Dumbledore said, "Why don't you demonstrate your skill with summoning charms and save us both a walk up to the tower."

Harry nodded and pulled out his wand.  "_Accio _phoenix!"

Moments later, the small wooden carving that Harry had left by his bed shot down the hall and into Harry's hand.  The phoenix ruffled its miniscule wooden feathers and squawked indignantly at Harry before perching atop his index finger.  Dumbledore reached out and stroked the wooden phoenix, which trilled happily at the attention.

Dumbledore turned to Harry and said, "This phoenix, Harry, acts as a Portkey between Hogwarts and any wizarding establishment in Europe.  All you must do to activate it is state your destination whilst holding the phoenix as you are now; it works like Floo powder.  To return to Hogwarts, just use the same password you did to get here."

The miniscule phoenix blinked lazily up at Harry and settled down as if to take a nap.  Dumbledore placed his hand upon Harry's shoulder and gave him a quick nod of encouragement.  Taking a deep breath, Harry lifted the phoenix up to eye level and clearly enunciated, "The Dursleys' of Number 4, Privet Drive."

A soft orange and gold glow emanated from the phoenix as it took off from Harry's finger.  The small model flew around his and Dumbledore's body leaving a sparkling trail of stars in its wake.  The bright stars encircled the Headmaster and the Boy-Who-Lived and closed them off from the castle around them.  The wall of stars began to swirl quickly around them, picking up speed until Harry couldn't make out anything except for the golden radiance surrounding him.  Slowly, the swirling began to fade, and the sparks dissipated revealing Harry's room at the Dursleys'.

The phoenix that brought them here was hovering in front of Harry's face, the golden glow fading once more back into its small wooden body.  Harry brought his hand up and the phoenix landed on his finger, wrapped its feet and wings around the digit, and ceased moving.  A bright flash of light shot from the phoenix and when Harry could see again, the small bird was encased in gold and glittering from the eye sockets were tiny rubies.

Dumbledore removed his hand from Harry's shoulder and walked around the room that Harry had been living in for the past four summers.  He stopped by Hedwig's cage and produced an owl treat for her from the folds of his robes.  Still stunned by what had just transpired, Harry studied the remarkable "Portkey" that had just brought him here.  

"Umm, Professor?"

Dumbledore turned towards him and smiled benevolently, "Yes Harry?"

"Excuse me for my use of language, but… what the hell was that?"

"That Harry," Dumbledore answered, "is the Portkey you will be using to get to your training lessons this summer, many of which will not be held on Hogwarts grounds."

"But, that didn't act like a regular Portkey.  It didn't even act like that when it took me from here to Hogwarts!  Not that I'm complaining you understand, it was a much more enjoyable way to travel."

The Headmaster walked back towards Harry.  "When you came to Hogwarts, the Portkey was bringing you back to its 'safe house' where it is programmed to take you if you are ever in danger.  Therefore, it takes you in the fastest way possible, just as it will when you return from here.  However, when you leave from Hogwarts, it makes the ride, as you put it, 'Much more enjoyable.'" 

Harry looked down at his finger where the phoenix lay.  "And what happened to it now?" he asked.

"It will stay like that until you leave from Hogwarts again.  A ring is a little easier to carry around than a little phoenix, don't you agree?"

"Yes sir," Harry agreed.

"Good, well in that case-"

The sound of Harry's Uncle thundering up the stairs interrupted Dumbledore.  "BOY!! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? AND WHO'S THAT YOU'RE TALKING-"

Uncle Vernon stopped abruptly when he opened the door and saw Professor Dumbledore standing next to Harry.  His mouth gaped open like a fish, and all the blood drained out of his face; an effect that Harry found most comical.  Dumbledore took advantage of the sudden silence and began talking before Uncle Vernon had a chance to recover.

"Mr. Dursley," he said, extending a hand.  "My name is Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."  When Uncle Vernon didn't respond, Professor Dumbledore lowered his hand and continued.  "I don't know how well informed you have been of the events of the past year, but due to the resurrection of a particularly evil wizard who is set on killing Harry, we have decided to move Harry to Hogwarts for the remainder of the holiday.  He is beginning some training to help him survive through this trying time.  I hope you understand the seriousness of the situation, but I assure you that Harry will be back here as usual at the end of the school year next summer."

The expressions on Vernon Dursley's face during the Headmaster's speech were so amusing that Harry considered it a miracle that he was able to hold in his laughter.  His uncle's face deepened to a virulent shade of red when Dumbledore mentioned Hogwarts, making his pudgy face closely resemble a radish with a mustache.  When he heard about someone trying to kill Harry however, his anger drained away, replaced with an extremely smug look that increased exponentially when he learned that Harry was leaving.  This lasted until he learned that Harry would be returning in a year's time, when once again Uncle Vernon did his impression of a radish.

"Now you look here," Uncle Vernon said as he advanced on Professor Dumbledore.  "I don't care who you think you are, but you will leave my house immediately and never come back!  And take that…that…THING with you!" he exclaimed pointing at Harry.

"And if I were you, I wouldn't waste your time with that good-for-nothing bastard.  Just let whoever wants to kill him, have him.  It would save everyone a lot of trouble."

"Mr. Dursley!" Dumbledore said quietly, enough power radiating from his voice that Harry was surprised his uncle didn't run from the room screaming.  "Is that how you truly feel about your nephew?"

"YES IT IS! NOW LEAVE HERE AND TAKE HIM WITH YOU!  IF I EVER SEE HIM AGAIN I MAY JUST SAVE THIS PERSON THE TROUBLE AND KILL HIM MYSELF!"

Uncle Vernon then turned to stalk from the room, but was brought up short by the Headmaster's voice.  "Mr. Dursley! If-"

It was at that moment that Vernon Dursley did the bravest, and quite possibly the stupidest, thing he had ever done.  He rounded on Albus Dumbledore, the greatest Headmaster Hogwarts had seen in centuries, and threw a punch aimed at his face.

The effort, unfortunately for Vernon Dursley, was completely wasted.  His punch impacted the air about five inches before his target, and his body was immediately frozen in place by a wandless full-body bind cast by the venerable wizard.

It was all over before Harry could even think to move.  Stunned by what he had just witnessed, Harry could do no more than stand by and watch as the confrontation between his Uncle and Professor Dumbledore played itself out.

Dumbledore slowly pulled his wand out of his robes and trained it on his attacker.  "Had I known of your feelings toward Harry, I may have done this sooner."  Although his uncle couldn't move, Harry could see the fear reflected in his eyes grow significantly at the perceived threat.  "I had hoped that Harry could remain here with his relatives, but since that now seems very unwise I guess I will just have to find another home for him.  If you would kindly wait for me downstairs, I will join you in a few moments to discuss the consequences of your decision."

With a flick of the Headmaster's wand, Vernon Dursley floated out of the room, down the stairs, and out of Harry's life forever.

Professor Dumbledore turned to Harry, his face devoid of expression.  "I'm very sorry you had to witness that Harry, and I apologize for not checking up on you earlier.  Had I known…

"What's done is done, Harry, and as much as we would like to change it, we can't.  Now if you could please gather up your belongings, I will speak with your uncle."

The Headmaster walked out the door, but moments later he stuck his head back in.  "And Harry?  Don't expect to be returning here."

His head disappeared again, and Harry was left alone to pack for the final time.  He retrieved all his hidden treats from the loose floorboard, and packed all his belongings; they had grown over the past four years but still fit inside his one trunk.  Harry then retrieved Hedwig's cage from atop his desk and moved to the window to release her.  He didn't trust Portkeys, even this new one, enough to risk Hedwig using one.

Opening the latch, Harry fed Hedwig an owl treat.  "Meet me at Hogwarts, okay?" he whispered.  Hedwig hooted softly and nipped Harry's finger affectionately before flying out the window and winging her way to the distant castle.

After finishing his packing, Harry sat down on his bed to wait for Professor Dumbledore.  For some reason, Harry felt that it would not be a good idea to go downstairs right now.  He could not hear any voices but that didn't rule out the possibility that the Headmaster had used a silencing charm to keep Harry from having to hear what was going on.  Glancing around the room, Harry made sure that he had not forgotten anything.

Footsteps on the stairs alerted Harry that someone was coming, and he stood up just as Professor Dumbledore entered the room.  Without pausing, Dumbledore crossed the room and asked briskly, "Are you ready, Harry?"

"Yes sir."

"Then let's leave here.  I'm having this house officially quarantined to all wizards.  No one should have to deal with Muggles like that."  Dumbledore gave Harry a piercing glance.  "That means you will never be able to come back here Harry.  Be sure you have everything you need."

"I'm pretty sure I have everything, sir."

Dumbledore nodded and moved over to Harry's trunk and placed his hand atop it.  "Then we should leave."

Harry moved to join him.  Placing his left hand on the trunk, Harry initiated the Portkey.  "_Caput Draconis._"__

Just before the phoenix pulled them back to Hogwarts, Harry noticed the corner of a letter sticking out from underneath his bed.  A letter addressed to him from Ginny Weasley.  But it was already too late.

***

Later that day, Vernon Dursley cautiously entered the room his good-for-nothing, ungrateful, freak of a nephew had occupied for the past four summers.  He went up with a pair of latex gloves, a metal trash bin, a bottle of kerosene, and a book of matches intending to incinerate everything that had been corrupted.

First went the bed sheets as well as any clothing left behind in the closet.  Next, the chair and desk were broken into pieces with the help of a hatchet; Vernon planned to use them in a bonfire later that year.  And finally were any stray items that the irate relative could find.

Vernon Dursley was about to leave the room to call the exterminator to make a sweep of the house when he noticed an envelope poking out from under the bed.  Carefully picking it up by the corner he was about to burn it, but curiosity got the better of him.  After replacing his gloves, he slowly opened the letter and read it.

When he finished, Vernon laughed harshly, happy that he could make his nephew suffer even after he was gone.  With one last chuckle, he lit a match and set the letter on fire.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 

**Disclaimer:  **_The first sentence of the Oath belongs to Diane Duane from the _Young Wizards_ series.  A very good series if you get the chance to read it…_

As Harry's feet touched the ground at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he immediately prepared to go back to the Dursleys' to retrieve Ginny's letter.  Unfortunately, when he held the phoenix ring up and said, "The Dursleys' of Number 4, Privet Drive," nothing happened.

Harry felt Dumbledore place a hand on his shoulder as he spoke.  "Forget something Harry?"  Harry nodded.  "I'm sorry, but you cannot go back now, the Dursleys' have now been cut off from any form of magical travel.  Was it anything important that you left?"

"No sir," Harry replied shaking his head.  "It was…just a letter—from Ginny Weasley—that I haven't had the chance to read.  I guess I'll just ask her about it when I see her at school."

Dumbledore nodded.  "Very well then.  Come with me Harry, the representatives from the Department of Mysteries are here.  It is time for you to meet your instructors."

The Headmaster led Harry through the winding corridors of the castle and up the stairways, being sure to skip the disappearing steps.  As they walked, Harry thought about writing to Ginny tonight and asking about the letter.  _She might be angry with me for forgetting about it,_ he thought.  On the other hand it would be better to let her know now than waiting until school started up again.  He resolved to owl her that night.

Harry's thoughts were interrupted when Dumbledore stopped abruptly.  With a jolt, Harry realized they were in the third floor corridor, which had been off limits in Harry's first year.  More specifically, they were at the trapdoor which it had been Fluffy's job to guard.

The Headmaster gestured and the trapdoor opened, revealing a staircase where there had once been a lengthy drop.  Following the Headmaster, Harry stared in wonder at the changes that had been made to the room.  As they descended the staircase, Harry could see that the Devil's Snare had been cleared out of the room, which was now well lit by the torches that were periodically placed along the chamber wall.  A large table sat in the center of the chamber surrounded by seven large wooden chairs, five of which were currently occupied.

When Harry and Dumbledore reached the bottom of the staircase, the five witches and wizards stood to greet them.

"Ah!  Albus, so nice to see you again, old friend."  The eldest wizard of the group greeted the Headmaster enthusiastically.  As they embraced, Dumbledore responded warmly, "It's been too long Alex, it really has."

The wizard turned towards Harry then, and studied him critically.  "This must be our new recruit."  The wizard offered his hand, and Harry shook it firmly.  "Hello Harry, I am Commander Alexander Bailey and I will be your commanding officer and supervisor during your training."

Harry took the time to study Commander Bailey thoroughly.  He seemed to be in his late fifties—although with wizards, looks could be deceiving—sporting close cropped silver hair and a clean-shaven face.  He was only a few inches taller than Harry, standing about two inches short of six foot.  He had broad shoulders and was surrounded by an air of authority and power.  With one look, Harry could tell that Bailey was a natural leader.

"Well," Bailey said, "Let me introduce you to the others."

Harry now looked to the four people standing behind Bailey.  Two of them were witches in their mid-twenties.  One of the witches sported long raven-black hair, while the other had short curly blond hair.  The blond was slim and muscular, and seemed to glide when she walked.  Harry got the distinct impression of a tiger stalking its prey.  The other two were very nondescript looking wizards.  Both with light brown hair, they had no distinguishing features that would stick in one's memory.  They seemed like the type that could easily blend in with a crowd.

Bailey gestured to the blond woman, who stepped forward to shake Harry's hand.  "Harry, this is War Wizard First Class Samantha Dunegall.  She will be handling your weapons and wandless magic training.  She is our top field officer."

Harry shook her hand, surprised at the strength of her grip.  "Pleased to meet you."

She flashed Harry a dazzling smile that cased a peculiar feeling in his stomach.  "War Witch, actually," she said still smiling.  "And you can call me Sam."

Harry nodded and turned to the raven-haired witch, whom Commander Bailey was now introducing.  "This is Lieutenant Jennifer Hammil, who will be teaching you advanced charms, curses and hexes.  She will also be tutoring you on how to use them in battle situations."

"Hello Harry," she said as she took his hand in her own.

"Hello."

"Lieutenant Duncan Marsh here," Commander Bailey was saying, "is your physical trainer and will be instructing you in hand-to-hand combat."  The shorter of the two men bowed deeply to Harry, and Harry solemnly returned the gesture.

The last wizard stepped forward and pumped Harry's hand as he was being introduced.  "And lastly, this is Sergeant Calvin Jefferson.  Jefferson is our magical artifact specialist and will be training you in their use.  If you ever need a Portkey or a PCD fixed, he's the one to talk to."

Sergeant Jefferson laughed at this and said, "That's why everyone calls me Doc, I guess.  They say I can fix anything."

With his hand still being pumped up and down, Harry asked, "Ummm…what is a PCD?"

Doc abruptly stopped shaking his hand and began talking rapidly, with an enthusiastic look in his eyes.  "Oh!  Well, you see, a PCD is my own little invention—comes in quite handy really—and it stands for Personal Communication Device.  It's a specially designed-"

Commander Bailey placed a restraining hand on Doc's shoulder, effectively cutting off his speech.  "There will be plenty of time later to explain the intricacies of your inventions to our new recruit.  Right now, however, I think we should all sit down and explain to Harry just what it is that he is getting into."

Doc nodded and saluted his commanding officer, but looked a little sad that his oration was cut off.  He seemed to truly enjoy his inventions.  Commander Bailey sat at the head of the table and motioned for the others to sit.  They did so, with Professor Dumbledore to Bailey's right and Sam to his left.  Harry sat directly across from the Commander, and the others filled in the rest of the chairs.

"Harry," Commander Bailey began gravely, "First of all, I want you to know what we are expecting of you.  War Wizards are trained to be the best of the best of the best.  The best Aurors are inducted into the Department of Mysteries, which holds itself separate from the rest of the Ministry.  From there, only the most qualified inductees are chosen to be trained as field agents, as you are going to be.  The rest…well, let's just say they never get to brag about being initiated."

Harry nodded his understanding, indicating for the Commander to continue.  "As you are still a student, barely half way through with your basic schooling, you may find yourself lacking some of the knowledge we take for granted.  If you ever come across a situation during your training in which you do not understand what we are telling you, do not hesitate to ask.  We will do our best to make sure you understand _everything_ you are doing.

"Many of the things we normally teach, you may find beyond your abilities.  If—when—we encounter a situation in which you fail to grasp an advanced technique or concept, we will move on and attempt to re-teach it to you at a later date.

"Now, do you understand everything I've said so far?"

Harry nodded, "I understand, sir."

"Good," Bailey smiled, a satisfied look in his eyes.  "Now, I'll have your instructors tell you exactly what you will be doing for the next month.  After school starts, we will have to come up with a different schedule, but until then…" He nodded towards Lieutenant Marsh.

Harry looked at Marsh, who smiled wickedly, his face closely resembling that of Fred and George Weasley just before playing a very nasty prank.  "You will begin every day with me, Harry, _every_ day, promptly at five o'clock in the morning.  At that time, you and I will be going for a nice, refreshing, morning run."  Marsh looked pointedly at his scrawny frame.  "And by the looks of it, we should probably start you on some kind of weight training program as well.  Then, after our run, we will commence with your hand-to-hand combat training.  Eventually you will be well versed in all forms of martial arts, courtesy of my instruction."

"Then, after a quick shower and some breakfast, you will come to me," Doc began speaking in his rapid and enthusiastic tone of voice.  "I'll brief you on all the equipment you will be using, including that wonderful new Portkey you have there," he pointed at the phoenix ring Harry was wearing.  "My lectures shouldn't last long, and after the first month you will have this time as a free period unless I come up with something new."  Doc smiled benevolently at Harry.

Lieutenant Hammil spoke next.  "After your refreshing break with Doc is over, you will come to me for instruction in some advanced charms, curses, and hexes.  Most of what I teach you will be what you will need to know in a battle situation, but I will also instruct you in Magical First Aid, and some forms of self-transfiguration.  Dueling is also my specialty, but for that, we will bring in a world champion Dueler, who not even I have been able to best."  Hammil grinned mischievously.  "I daresay you may already know him Harry.  Have you by chance heard of a Filius Flitwick?"

Harry nodded slowly taking in everything he was being told.  He had heard of Professor Flitwick being a world-class dueler, but he could never before imagine the jovial charms professor as a dangerous fighter.  _I guess there's a side of everyone that you never get to see under normal circumstances,_ Harry thought to himself.

Still grinning, Lieutenant Hammil said, "Once we begin talking about dueling, Filius has volunteered to join us and help me in your training.  I believe he has also been talking about starting up a proper Dueling Club at Hogwarts this year.  When we talked about it, he mumbled something about incompetent, bigheaded megalomaniacs."  Professor Dumbledore snorted.  "Do you have any idea what he was talking about?"

Suppressing laughter, Harry nodded and explained.  "In my second year, our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was Gilderoy Lockheart.  I'm sure you've heard of him."  At her nod, Harry continued, "Well, he tried starting up a Dueling Club.  Needless to say, it didn't work out quite the way he expected it to.  We only met once."

Hammil chuckled sympathetically and simply stated, "Well, I dare say Filius will run a better program than Lockheart did.  You may actually get something useful out of it."  Still laughing, Hammil sat down to make room for Sam.  The blond-haired witch smiled at him again, and Harry timidly returned the smile.

"Well," she began, "after training with Lieutenant Hammil and grabbing a quick lunch, the real work begins." Lieutenant Marsh snorted, but when Sam shot him a warning glance, Marsh quieted and yielded to the smaller woman.  Returning her attention to Harry, Sam grinned wickedly.  "You'll be with me for the rest of your day, Harry.  We'll begin with instruction in wandless magic, but first understand this Harry—and this is very important—wandless magic is not for all wizards.  Some pick it up quickly and can use it in all sorts of situations, while others work for years and can never master levitating a feather without their wand.  These first few weeks I will spend testing you to see how well you will react to the training.  If it seems you are receptive, we will continue training you; however, if you can't learn wandless magic…" Sam shrugged.

Harry spoke up, asking something that had been bothering him since wandless magic had been mentioned.  "But how can someone do wandless magic?  I mean…in school we were taught that the wand is a wizard's most important tool:  the focus of one's magic.  You can't perform spells without a wand unless you're emotionally upset, and even then you can't control what happens.  I can attest to that fact."

Sam just smiled at him again.  "A very good question Harry, and one that all trainees ask; however, I will answer that during our first lesson, so save it until then."  Harry nodded his consent, a little put out, but willing to wait.  Sam continued describing what they would be working on.  "After I drain you mentally with the wandless magic, I will proceed to exhaust you physically with weapons training.  You will be instructed in the use and defense of both medieval and modern Muggle and magical weaponry, including—but not limited to—the sword and dagger, battle-axe, staff, and spell-catcher.  After training, you will be expected to take a quick cool down run and then you will be left to your own devices."

The War Witch sat down, and Harry silently tried to take in all he had been told in this short period of time.  He was overwhelmed by the diversity of the skills they expected him to master, but was willing to do his best.  From observing the wizards sitting at the table with him, Harry could tell they had fun with what they did.  If they had each gone through this exhausting regime, then he could suffer through it as well.

Professor Dumbledore, who up until now had remained quiet, stood and broke the silence.  "Well Harry, now that you know what is expected of you, are you still willing to continue with this training?"

Harry looked up into the blue eyes of his mentor, and with all the determination he could muster, Harry stood up and said, "Yes I am."

At his words, Commander Bailey and the four Unspeakables sitting at the table stood as well, their faces solemn.  "In that case," the Commander said, "you will now enter into a form of contractual magic with myself, the Department of Mysteries, and the Order of the Phoenix-"

"Just a moment," Harry interrupted.  "I'm sorry, but…what is the Order of the Phoenix?"

Commander Bailey stared at him strangely for a moment before smiling.  "Oh, I'm sorry Harry," he said, still smiling.  "I sometimes forget that new recruits don't know most of the things I take for granted."  He chuckled to himself before continuing.  "The Order of the Phoenix is how those within the Department of Mysteries refer to themselves.  The phoenix is an ancient symbol of loyalty, protection, honor and nobility:  all ideals that the Order upholds.  We therefore use the phoenix as our emblem, and no one outside of the Department knows of it.  Now, may I continue?"

Harry nodded, abashed.  "Sorry sir."

The smile disappeared from the commander's face as he continued speaking.  "As I was saying, you will enter into a form of contractual magic which will prevent you from ever speaking about the Order, or anything you learn on the job.  This is to protect you, your fellow War Wizards, and the Order itself.  This is your last chance Harry, once you take the Oath, there is no turning back."

"I'm ready."

"In that case," Commander Bailey said as he extended his arm.  A pure white staff appeared in his hand, and he rapped it on the floor twice.  "Let the ceremony commence."

At that moment, the candles in the chamber all extinguished themselves, leaving the seven witches and wizards in near darkness.  A glow emanating from Bailey's staff was the only source of illumination.  The harsh white radiance caused the faces of the men and women around the table to appear as lifeless marble statues staring endlessly into an infinite distance.  Harry could faintly hear music, growing steadily louder as another source of light appeared above the table.  This new light, the color of fire, intensified as the glow of the staff diminished, until only the fresh source lit the room.  The light swirled and convulsed, as would a nebula forming into a star in the course of a few moments.  The pristine glow flared once, so bright that Harry was forced to close his eyes, and even then he could see the miniature sun through his eyelids.  When the glow diminished enough that he could open his eyes once again, all Harry could see were the glowing forms of two phoenix hovering in front of him.

The two birds did not seem as solid as he remembered Fawkes being, and he silently pondered this until he realized that they were made of solid flame, not feathers and flesh.  Between the two birds floated a shimmering scroll, which unrolled itself to reveal brightly shining runes covering the parchment.

A voice, which Harry faintly recognized as belonging to Commander Bailey, echoed out of the darkness surrounding the two phoenix and the scroll.  "Read from the scroll Harry."

Squinting at the glowing runes, Harry tried to make sense out of the foreign shapes, but to no avail.  Unfortunately, Harry had never taken an Ancient Runes class, never dreaming that he would encounter a situation quite like this.  He began to panic, thinking that they would not allow him into the Order if he could not translate the runes.  _It must be some kind of test_, he thought.  _Oh, I wish Hermione was here!_

Harry took a deep breath and calmed his nerves; he would just have to think logically.  Try to think as much like Hermione as he could.  He concentrated on the runes, willing them to make sense, and suddenly, they did.  Harry could see the words forming in his mind, and knew exactly what he was required to say.

            _In Life's name, and for Life's sake, I assert that I will employ the Art with which I was gifted for the service of good alone.  I will guard growth and ease pain.  I will serve honorably the Order of which I am a part; and not divulge any of its secrets unless it is in the interests of the organization to do so.  To these ends, I will ever put aside fear for courage, and death for life—when it is fit to do so.  I will champion the weak and the oppressed; never to use my power for myself, but for the good of the whole.  This I swear, and pledge my loyalty to the Order of the Phoenix and all that she upholds and fights for, until the time I am called upon descend into the peace of eternity._

In the beginning he struggled, the words came to him slowly and he had to fight to understand what it was he needed to say.  As he spoke, Harry could feel the magic taking effect.  The silence of the chamber around him grew to deafening proportions as the world paused in its rotation to observe the results of the young wizard's pledge.  The closer he was to finishing the Oath, the easier it was to speak, almost as if the magic of the Oath itself was speaking through him.  When Harry spoke the last word of the Oath, he could feel the contractual magic take hold, rushing through his body and binding him to uphold what he had just sworn.  The magic pained him, and soothed him at the same time.  Reassuring him that he had chosen the right path.  Harry closed his eyes in pain in rapture, reveling in the power of the magic flowing through his body.  He heard a scream, and by the time he realized it was himself, the scream had stopped and candlelight had returned the room.  When he opened his eyes, the two phoenix had departed, along with the rune covered scroll, and he was confronted by the smiling faces of Commander Bailey, Professor Dumbledore, and four War Wizards.

"Welcome to the Order of the Phoenix, Harry."


End file.
